Spurs shoot for 10 in a row, host Wizards

(Sports Network) - The annual Rodeo Road trip is on the horizon for the San
Antonio Spurs, who will close out a three-game homestand Saturday versus the
Washington Wizards at the AT&T Center.

The Spurs will begin an 18-day, nine-game road trip next week when the annual
Stock Show and Rodeo takes over the AT&T Center, where they have won 17 in a
row and own an impressive 21-2 record.

San Antonio hasn't tasted defeat at home since Nov. 19 versus the Los Angeles
Clippers and improved to 2-0 on the residency with Wednesday's 102-78 victory
over the Charlotte Bobcats. Playing without Hall of Fame forward Tim Duncan
for a fourth straight game and fifth in six tries, the Spurs once again leaned
on Tony Parker, who had 22 points and seven assists.

Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points and Danny Green finished with 17 for the short-
handed Spurs, who have won nine in a row overall and own the best record in
the NBA at 37-11.

"I was just working," Leonard said of his performance. "I just finally got a
little opportunity to show it tonight. Just hard work is working for me."

The Spurs scored 34 points off 24 Charlotte turnovers and had a 48-24
advantage in the paint. They shot 55.1 percent for the game and made 9-of-16
from beyond the arc. Coach Gregg Popovich was back on the bench after missing
three games because of an illness.

As for Duncan, who is averaging 17.5 points and 9.8 rebounds, he is probable
for Saturday's game versus the Wizards. Guard Manu Ginobili (hamstring),
center DeJuan Blair (knee) and forward Matt Bonner (knee) are questionable.
Ginobili left the game against Charlotte with tightness in the hamstring.

"I feel good, feel good. I probably could have played last night, probably
best that I didn't," Duncan said after Thursday's practice. "Just trying to be
smart about it, especially this time of the season. We have a good little
stretch here just to get healthy and get ready for the long run."

Duncan said he "landed weird" on the knee after a shot and plans on returning
Saturday. He's also excited with how well the team has played without him.

Washington dropped its third in a row Friday night in Memphis against the
Grizzlies. The Wiz got the Grizz for the first time with Memphis' new
personnel and Washington fell, 85-76.

The Wizards scored 30 points in the first quarter against the top defense in
the NBA, but things went bad quickly. Washington only managed 10 points in the
second stanza.

"I think we missed 13 straight shots, which were all perimeter shots," head
coach Randy Wittman said of his team's second-quarter performance. "We stopped
throwing the ball to the side and you have to know the feel of the game. If
things aren't going a certain way, you have to then combat that."

Nene was the only Wizards player in double figures with 14 points.

John Wall injured his shoulder in the second quarter, but returned to the
game.

"I was scared," admitted Wall. "I went back out there and played. I could
still feel the pain, but I just tried to play through it and help my team out
as much as possible. I just hoped it wasn't anything serious so that I could
keep playing for the rest of the season."

The Wizards were trounced at home by the Spurs, 118-92, on Nov. 26 in the
first meeting of the season. Duncan had 14 points in that one for San Antonio,
which has won 13 in a row and 22 of the past 25 meetings in this series.

Washington has lost 12 straight trips to the Alamo City, last winning there by
a 99-89 score on Dec. 11, 1999. The Spurs lead the all-time series, 50-30,
with a 31-10 advantage as the host.